718 A REMARKABLE FISH FROM LORD HOWE ISLAND, 



A REMARKABLE FISH FROM LORD HOWE ISLAND. 

 Plate XLVII. 



By William Macleay, F.L.S, etc. 



Mr.- H. T. Wilkinson, Visiting Magistrate of Lord Howe Island, 

 brought with him from that place, a few weeks ago, a Fish which 

 had been picked up dead on the beach there. It was handed to 

 me for identification, or, if new, for description, by his brother 

 Mr. 0. S. Wilkinson, Government Geologist. 



I cannot find a record anywhere of the existence of any such 

 fish, and indeed so curious is it in many particulars, that I cannot 

 even venture to point out its afiinities. I have given it the generic 

 name of Ctenodax, from a fancied resemblance to the teeth of the 

 Odacina, but it cannot be placed in that group, nor indeed in any 

 gi'oup of the Labridce, and I am not at all sure that it belongs even 

 to the order Acanthoptery gii pharyngognathi. In the meantime, 

 imperfect though my diagnosis is, I give a drawing and description 

 of it, so that others may have the opportunity of forming an 

 opinion of what is undoubtedly a very extraordinary Fish. 



Genus. Ctenodax. 



Of elongate subcylindrical form. Scales small, firm, rigid, 

 ctenoid, keeled, and spinous. Dorsal fin long, the spinous portion 

 low, the spines only connected by a membrane at the base. Head 

 rounded at the muzzle. Teeth in a single row. Lower jaw 

 pointed and deeply emarginate at the symphysis. A bony ridge on 

 the vomer. The tongue pointed and cup-shaped. Mouth oblique. 

 Eye large. Lateral line continuous and nearly straight. Ventral 

 fins 5, short and close together. Caudal fin small and forked, two 

 sti'ong converging keels on the tail. Gills, 4. Branchiostegals, 3. 



